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Karen Williams has advocated for special needs students for more than 30 years. Her experience includes teaching and educational administration in public, nonpublic and private schools in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Northern Virginia and Nevada. She has served as an expert special education witness in local due process hearings on behalf of parents. Karen holds a BS degree in Special Education to include learning and emotional disabilities, and a MS degree in Educational Leadership.

As an educational consultant Karen supports families with young scholars who learn best with instruction that has been specifically designed to meet unique learning needs. Representing and being a strong voice for young scholars is Karen’s true passion. She relishes the youthful energy and uniqueness these learners bring to the world.

Karen is a member of the Coalition of Parents, Attorneys, and Advocates, (COPAA), through which she has received and participated in intense training in special education law and advocacy.

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Teresa Brandes served Fairfax County Public SchoolsF in several capacities to include Special Education Department Chair,  Special Education Representative and Learning Disability Educator. She was responsible for school compliance to federal, state, and local special education regulations, Ms. Brandes also provided models and support for instructional delivery, data collection, progress monitoring, and recovery services.  She facilitated quarterly data meetings for Reading and Math Evidence Based Programs. She  developed and facilitated virtual and in-person trainings for school staff on high-leverage practices.  She  trained teachers in IEP development, transition planning, and software navigation . She is experienced in management of student eligibilities and IEPs to ensure compliance of IDEA timelines during summer months for 75 elementary, middle, and high schools. Ms. Brandes has a Master of Education (M.Ed.), Special Education Mild/Moderate Disabilities.

Tonya Scott is a Special Needs Resource Specialist who guides parents of children who have special needs from ages birth to adulthood. In addition to providing resources, she develops strategic plans for success throughout an individual's journey. Ms. Scott shares with parents where, when and how to go for community resources and supports. Private consultations are available.

Ms. Lucas has worked in special education across all disability categories for 35 years. She began her career as a Head Start Coordinator in Michigan, then moved to this area and was hired by Fairfax Co Schools, where she taught in regional and regular school based classrooms for 15 years. Her emphasis and greatest passion was Autism programming. She was recognized by Fairfax for highly effective instruction and positive behavior interventions. She was one of the first special Autism resource teachers who traveled to classrooms to train teachers in a new role designed by Fairfax Co to focus directly on Autistic students. She traveled to Autism conferences across the country to learn best practices in academic, social and behavioral interventions. Ms Lucas then moved into special education administration where she served schools and families for 15 more years as a Central Office Liaison, providing successful support and mediation for the entire special education process from eligibility to complex IEPs, instructional planning, behavior and discipline issues, teacher training, and more. Ms. Lucas feels strongly that families deserve experienced, sensitive partners to help them navigate IEPs to provide access to the free and appropriate public education (FAPE) that every special child absolutely deserves, so she started a consulting firm, Edukare, in 2012. She is very pleased to join BSES and share her skills.  Garamond is a classic font with a modern twist. It's easy to read on screens of every shape and size, and perfect for long blocks of text.

Mrs.  Tiffany B. Phoenix, M.S., CCC-SLP, a licensed and certified Speech-Language Pathologist with over 20 years of clinical experience. She owns and operates Phoenix Pediatric Therapy Services, LLC.  Throughout her career, Mrs. Phoenix has worked in a variety of clinical settings to include home and community-based early intervention programs, pre-school programs, elementary/middle/high private, public, and charter schools, private special education schools, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, an outpatient medical center, a juvenile detention center, and in academia.  She collaboratively works with the Best Solutions team as we support children with a variety of different disabilities and communication disorders.

Sarah has tutored students in need of Executive Functioning skills support with the Study Skills 4 Life Program developed by Debrah Martin of Best Solutions Educational Services.  She has also tutored the subjects of Reading and Math to elementary , middle,  high school and college math, Her tutoring experience at the collegiate level also include Basic Accounting, Communications and Nutrition. Sarah has been a Private tutor for over 2 years, providing students with individualized assistance to help them learn new concepts and complete assignments. She has a Bachelor's of Science in Communications from Northeastern University (Boston, MA).